Sterile disposable finger pin

ABSTRACT

A finger pin made from Kirschner wire is mounted to a hub and sealed within a plastic container. The hub mates with the tip of a hypodermic syringe or another nonsterile handle so that the pin is easily inserted into the finger with the hub closely adjacent the surface of the skin. The hub prevents the pin from penetrating further into the finger and provides a means for easily removing the pin after the fracture has healed. The tip of the pin is specially shaped to aid the pin in penetrating the finger.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Daniel C. Riordan New Orleans, La.;Arthur D. Stefie, Cleveland, Ohio [21] Appl. No. 816,513 [22 Filed Apr.16,1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31,1971 [73] Assignee Zimmer ManufacturingCompany Warsaw, Idaho {54] STERILE DISPOSABLE FINGER PIN 5 Claims, 6Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 128/92 B, 128/92 BC, 206/632 R, 128/347 [51] Int. Cl A6lf5/04 [50] Field of Search 128/92, 92 A, 92 B, 92 BC, 92 E, 83, 214.4,221,347; 206/6312 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,1281/1912 Crowe 128/347 3,179.107 4/1965 Clark 128/221 3,204,634 9/1965Koehn 128/221 X 3,225,762 12/1965 Guttman l28/214.4

3,294,231 12/1966 Vanderbeck 206/632 3,351,054 11/1967 Florek 128/83FOREIGN PATENTS 950,319 10/1956 Germany 128/92 R OTHER REFERENCES GermanPrinted Application No. 1,029,528, published May 8, 1958, inventor ErnstPohl. 128-92 BC.

Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, Vol. 46-A, No. 2, March 1964,Advertisement Page 62. Palmer Stille Nail holder and Driver relied upon.128-92 E. 1

PrimaryExaminer-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Ronald L. FrinksAtt0rneyWatson, Cole, Grindle & Watson ABSTRACT: A finger pin made fromKirschner wire is mounted to a hub and sealed within a plasticcontainer. The hub mates with the tip of a hypodermic syringe or anothernonsterile handle so that the pin is easily inserted into the fingerwith the hub closely adjacent the surface of the skin. The hub preventsthe pin from penetrating further into the finger and provides a meansfor easily removing the pin after the fracture has healed. The tip ofthe pin is specially shaped to aid the pin in penetrating the finger.

PATENTED A1163: IS?! INVENTORS DANIELCRIORDAN ARTHUR W STEFFE AT TORNEYS STERILE DISPOSABLE FINGER PIN This invention relates to disposablesurgical instruments and, more particularly, to a sterile disposablefinger pin which is mounted to a hub so as to conveniently attachableto, and detachable from, a hypodermic syringe which is used as the meansfor inserting the finger pin.

Physicians often have a need to insert a finger pin into a fracturedfinger to hold the finger joint in a fixed position so that the fracturemay heal. Such fractures may be of the type known as mallet fingers,shaft fractures, or epiphyseal separations. Many different types anddesigns of finger pins are known to those skilled in the art. However,there is a need in the medical profession for a finger pin that issuitably packaged in a sterile container and provided with anextremelysimple means of connecting it to an instrument which can be used by thephysician in inserting the finger pin.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved fingerpin which is prepackaged, disposable, sterile and easily fastened to aninstrument for inserting the finger pin into the finger.

Another object of this invention is to provide-a finger pin of the typespecified which can be conveniently carried in a physicians case orpocket to be readily available for use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved fingerpin of the type specified which can'be easily carried by a physician ina sterile condition and fastened to the end of a nonsten'le handle orsyringe for insertion.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, a finger pin is constructed of astraight, stainless steel wire which is attached to a plastic end hub soas to be easily fastened to the end of a nonsterile handle or syringe toprovide means for inserting the finger pin. The hub, with the pinattached, is packaged in a small transparent container to protect thesterile pin before use. The container is tubelike having a closed endand an open end which is flanged to receive a portion of the hubandsecure it to the container. The hub is constructed to be engageablewith the tip of a hypodermic syringe so that the hub and finger pin maybe attached to the end of the syringe to provide an easy instrument forinserting the pin. The finger pin is thoroughly packed with a disposablewrapper within the tubelike container. Therefore, according to theinvention, there is provided a finger pin which is prepackaged,disposable, sterile and easily fastened onto the end of a nonsterilehandle or syringe, both of which can' be conveniently carried in thephysicians case or pocket, and thus provide a readily available, sterilefinger pin and instrument for inserting the same.

Further objects and advantages other than those mentioned above, will beapparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing description of apreferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, it being understood that changes may be made in the form,size, proportion's, and minor details of construction without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates one manner in which a finger pin may be inserted intoa finger using a hypodermic syringe;

FIG. IA illustrates the finger pin inserted into the thumb of a patientwith the hub remaining near the surface of the skin;

FIG. 2 illustrates the tubelike'container and the hubof the finger pinin engaging relationship;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the hub, finger pin; and tubelikecontainer for protecting the same;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the tip of the finger pin; and

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged side view of the'tip of the finger pinshown in FIG. 4.

The physician's technique of pinning a finger fracture with finger pinsof the type described herein is-a relatively simple operation and may bedone either in the physicians office or emergency room. Basically, thetechnique is simply to scrub up the finger, do a digital block and thentake a sterile,

disposable finger pin, which, in accordance with this invention, ispreferably attached to a hypodennic syringe 10, as shown in FIG. 1, andtwist the finger pin into the fractured bone. After insertion, thesyringe or handle is disconnected a finger pin capable of withstandingthe forces imposed on it as it was inserted into the finger. Thesubsequent development led to the finger pin of the present invention.

Hypodermic syringes are available to the medical profession having whatis known as a Luer-Lok tip and needles are furnished secured to a matinghub, known as a Luer-Lok hub. The hub and syringe tip are made fromcompatible polypropylene. The following description of the invention ismade with reference to a Luer-Lok tip and hub arrangement solely for thepurposes of describing an embodiment of the invention; however, it isexpressly understood that the invention is not to be limited to merely aLuer-Lok hub and tip arrangement and that any type of hub to which anonsterile handle or syringe can be easily attached may also be used.The Luer-Lok' tip and hub arrangement may be preferred, however, sincesuch hubs and tips are already commercially available and their usewould reduce the cost and effort expended in manufacturing the fingerpin.

With reference to FIG..2, there is illustrated a container 12, which istubelike, closed'at end-l4 and including collar 16 at the other end.Container 12 provides a means for retaining the finger pin in order toprevent it from becoming contaminated prior to its use. Riblike members15 merely strengthen the container which is a means well known to thoseskilled in the art. Hub member 18 is illustrated as partially protrudingfrom collar 16 of the container and includes flange 20. Hub member 18snugly mates with the inner surface of collar I6 to provide a tightlysealed container for the finger pin. The hub member extends beyond theface of the collar as shown in FIG. 2 so as to be easily grasped toremove the finger pin from the container. Hub member 18 and collar 16may be provided with a twist-lock arrangement to secure the finger pinand hub within container 12. Such twist'lock arrangements are well'known to those skilled in the art and form no part of the presentinvention. Container 12 is made from propylene plastic-which affords arelatively unbreakable and inexpensive container.

With reference to FIG. 3, finger pin 22 is illustrated attached to hubmember 18 which is shown as a Luer-Lok hub; however, as stated above,the invention is not to be limited to such a hub. The finger pin isimplanted in a centrally located hole extending into the hub member.Finger pin 22 is constructed from a straight, stainless steel wire;preferably a Kirschner wire which is commonly used in orthopedicsurgery. The Kirschner wire is hard drawn and spring tempered to atensile strength of 220,000 to 270,000 p.s.i. and has a diame ter of0.035 inches to 0.0625 inches. A Kirschner wire having a diameter withinthis range possesses the strength, without buckling, to withstand theforces exerted by the physician when the finger pin is being inserted.Pin 22 preferably has a length of 1% inches; however, the length is notcritical and may be increased or decreased, bearing in mind that the pinlength should not be too short so that it does not extend between thelength of a finger joint. Conversely, the pin should not be too long soas to cause it to buckle as it is inserted into the finger. Also, pinsof too great length will be inconvenient as the hub will extend' too farout beyond the surface of the finger, thereby allowing the pin to bejammed further into the finger than may be desired. Tip 24 of the pin'isspecially constructed as described more fully hereinafter to make thepin more easily insertable into a fractured finger.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of tip 24 and shows a preferredembodiment of the tip wherein side faces 25, 26 intersect with eachother to form an interior angle of substantially 60. FIG. 5 is anenlarged side view of the tip shown in FIG. 4 and illustrates apreferred tip shape configuration. Face 27 preferably slopes downward atan angle of 6, bottom face 28 sloping upwards at an angle ofsubstantially 6 also. Surface 29 preferably slopes back from the frontsurface 30 at a clearance angle of 12 to 15. Front surface 30 isapproximately 0.015 to 0.020 inches thick at its outermost point. Theaforedescribed shape of tip 24 enables finger pin 22 to be inserted intothe bone more easily since the bone marrow and tissue are pushedupwardly and downwardly by sloping faces 27, 28 to provide an entrancepath for the pin and are directed away from the path of the finger pinby face 29.

To summarize the operation of the finger pin, the containerized fingerpin is mounted to the end of hypodermic syringe 10, by means of themating Luer-Lok hub and syringe tip, and the finger pin and hubdisengaged from the container by twisting hub 18 from its interlockingrelationship with flange 16 of the container. This breaks the sealbetween the finger pin and the container and the finger pin may beextracted and inserted into the finger fracture at the desired locationby grasping the hypodermic syringe and exerting pressure against thefinger. When the pin is fully inserted, the pin and hub are separatedfrom hypodermic syringe 10. When the pin is inserted in the finger, hub18 prevents the pin from any further penetration and also enables thepin to be easily removed after the fracture has healed.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical form; however, the structure shown is capable of modificationby those skilled in the art within a range of equivalents withoutdeparting from the invention which is to be understood as being broadlynovel and as commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A pin for pinning finger fractures and of the type used with asurgical insertion instrument having a connection hub, comprising:

a hub member having spaced opposing end faces,

a straight solid wire member mounted to an extending from one of saidopposing end faces, said wire member including a generally pointedconverging tip portion formed by opposing sloping faces and additionalopposed angles faces quadrately disposed to said sloping faces toprovide penetration into a finger member, said wire member havingsufficient rigidity to be inserted into a finger bone to span a fracturewithout buckling, and

said one end face serves to permanently limit the penetration of saidwire member into the finger member, and said other end face includingmeans for detachably attaching said hub member to said connection hub.

2. A pin as in claim 1 wherein said sloping faces serve to provide anentrance path into the finger member and said additional opposing angledfaces serve to clear finger and bone tissue away from said wire member,said additional opposing angled faces form an included angle ofsubstantially 60 at the tip of said wire member and each face thereofjoins with said wire member at an angle of l215 with respect to animaginary plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said wire member andpassing through said opposingsloping faces.

. 3. A pin as in claim 2 wherein said opposing sloping faces each forman angle of substantially 6 with respect to the outer surface ofsaid'wire member.

4. A pin as in claim 3 wherein said opposing sloping faces are separatedby 0.015 inches to 0.020 inches at the outermost terminal point of saidwire member.

5. A pin as in claim 1 wherein said wire member is a Kirschner-type wirehaving a circular cross section and a diameter between 0.035 inches and0.0625 inches.

1. A pin for pinning finger fractures and of the type used with asurgical insertion instrument having a connection hub, comprising: a hubmember having spaced opposing end faces, a straight solid wire membermounted to an extending from one of said opposing end faces, said wiremember including a generally pointed converging tip portion formed byopposing sloping faces and additional opposed angles faces quadratelydisposed to said sloping faces to provide penetration into a fingermember, said wire member having sufficient rigidity to be inserted intoa finger bone to span a fracture without buckling, and said one end faceserves to permanently limit the penetration of said wire member into thefinger member, and said other end face including means for detachablyattaching said hub member to said connection hub.
 2. A pin as in claim 1wherein said sloping faces serve to provide an entrance path into thefinger member and said additional opposing angled faces serve to clearfinger and bone tissue away from said wire member, said additionalopposing angled faces form an included angle of substantially 60* at thetip of said wire member and each face thereof joins with said wiremember at an angle of 12*-15* with respect to an imaginary plane normalto the longitudinal axis of said wire member and passing through saidopposing sloping faces.
 3. A pin as in claim 2 wherein said opposingsloping faces each form an angle of substantially 6* with respect to theouter surface of said wire member.
 4. A pin as in claim 3 wherein saidopposing sloping faces are separated by 0.015 inches to 0.020 inches atthe outermost terminal point of said wire member.
 5. A pin as in claim 1wherein said wire member is a Kirschner-type wire having a circularcross section and a diameter between 0.035 inches and 0.0625 inches.